1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention is related to apparatuses and methods for covering swimming pools during non-use.
2. Background Information
During the fall and winter seasons, most outdoor swimming pools are not in use and falling leaves and debris driven by winter storms often find their way into such pools. Owners or maintainers of outdoor pools are, therefore, forced to cover their pools or face expensive cleaning operations each Spring.
Presently, pool covers are typically little more than large tarpaulins shaped to overlap the perimeter of a pool. The tarpaulins are held tautly in place by stakes or eye bolts fixed in concrete. A disadvantage attending the use of tarpaulins for covering pools lies in the fact that the same debris which would contaminate the underlying pool if left uncovered accumulates on the tarpaulin surface instead. Any other material falling on the tarpaulins surface, including rain and snow, likewise accumulate on the tarpaulin surface increasing the likelihood that the tarpaulin will be over stressed and torn. Despite the best of efforts, at least a part of the debris collected on the pool cover usually falls into the pool as the cover is removed.
Tarpaulin pool covers also have a much more significantly unfortunate capacity for camouflaging the danger posed to small children by swimming pools, particularly if a substantial amount of debris such as leaves has accumulated on the cover. The flat surface presented by a tarpaulin pool cover often appears to a child to be a surface upon which they may walk. Inability of the tarpaulin and/or its tethering posts to support the weight of a child can have obviously tragic results.
It would, therefore, be advantageous for outdoor pool owners, maintainers, and small children living in the vicinity of a swimming pool to provide an apparatus which covers such pools, resists accumulation of debris, water, and snow on its surface, distinguishes itself from surrounding ground surface by rising above ground level, and costs little more than conventional tarpaulin pool covers.